To all of you that made recommendations, I am very grateful and thank you. I'm totally surprised at the number of suggestions and replies. This is a great list of kayaks for me to consider. Now I have something to work with.

Just remember, don't buy anything until you try it on the water.

Just FYI: Native makes the Ultimate in different trim levels .. my understanding is the Hull is the same. So the Ultimate FX is the most tricked out but also the most expensive and heaviest. Now the FX has a different seat with high low settings and lots of nice extras, but you pay for them.

I have the Ultimate 12 BASIC .. and it has a good seat and only weighs 44lbs vs the FX as 52.

Others kayaks you may want to consider :
Viking Kayaks Espri Rec Kayak
Feelfree Move Angler
Feel Free Moken 10 Lite Kayak

Not sure if 8lbs is make or break it for you. I paid $600 for my BASIC, and have resisted the urge to spends hundreds on gear track and mounts etc. I just take a backpack with 2 plano boxes and 2 rods with me. So I can easily carry my kayak from the car to the water and then carry down my backpack, very small cooler and 2 rods. Once I start taking more than that I may need a kayak cart of some type. I also don't want to mount tons of stuff, because that is just more stuff to take off and store in the car if you put the kayak on the roof.

I don't mind the sit in style that the native is, and I like having a big open flat area in front of my that stays dry, since any water that drips into the hull ends up in the sides pontoons and the center hump stays dry and so does my butt


I think you may want to try Loading a few kayaks at a local store and make sure your weight limits are correct. That is what is going to really limit you, most plastic kayaks weight alot. And you are missing out on some great used deals if you worry about weight to load it.

Also there are ways to load a kayak onto the roof without lifting the whole kayak at once. The basic premise is always lifting only the nose up onto something and then lifting the stern and sliding it up. So you are never lifting 100% of the weight, and then use a kayak cart to move it.

See this video for a yakima boat loader accessory ... I have made my own by using a metal pipe and can easily load a 100lb 19' rowing boat onto my roof.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHttmdifr_8


Here is one I have not tried, but looks cool : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA79nIBx6rA

and another https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPKIdVZLBH8

and another :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYSTQZ9DrQg

and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTsmZ5SomIE

OR get a trailer .. I have a trailer for my row boat and it is nice .. everything stays in the boat, no setup time, just hitch up and go.

the point being there are lots or creative ways to make loading your kayak easier and weight not your overall factor.

Good Luck

The more I look, I keep going back to the Malibu Mini X I don't see a local dealer, so I don't know how I could try one out before I buy it. Not sure what I should do in that regard.

The hull is improved also. The seat in the FX is night and day different from the Ultimate. I have both you can try.

Thanks Rob. I hear what you are saying and will look at the videos.

Jerry thanks for the offer to try, but you are too far away for that. The Ultimate FX is the other kayak I keep going back to on the web. It is not a sit on top kayak, but has a high seat. I assume it is classified as a hybrid is it not, a cross between a kayak and a canoe?

Yes, the Ultimate is considered a canoe/kayak hybrid. Also, the hull of the Ultimate FX is more stable than the hull of the original Ultimate. Meaning although they may look similar when viewing on the website, they're not.

MtnDew, I looked at the Ultimate Basic online and it might be a pretty good match for me. Thanks.

Good to know the hull of the FX is more stable. At my age and strength, that's very important as I stated in the beginning.

I assume you are in Austin. From looking at the Malibu website, a place called Pflugfun in Pflugerville may be a Malibu dealer. Another option would be Texas Kayak in Boerne. It appears that they offer demos.

Holly Cow, I just looked at a Native Ultimate FX 12 on a local Kayak website and the price is $1445. If I were going buying a kayak to use regularly and as a primary thing, I might pay that price. But it will be occasional use, short little trips, fishing in a limited area of a lake, so I want to keep it down in the $600 + or - range. This brings me back to the Mini X for closer consideration.

Thanks LuvPondFishing. I'll check for those locations. Yes, I'm in Austin. Pflugervill is just up the road, half hour from me.

Don't rule out the native ultimate basic .. it was always considered very stable , even before the FX came out. I am sure you can find a place to demo, because stable and comfort are very personal things. But I will stick by my thought, that you should try loading some kayaks to confirm your weight limits. You may surprise yourself and then open up your search to more options.

-good luck.

Given your budget and you want a SOT, maybe consider something like a Perception Access or Rambler, or Emotion Stealth. Under 60 lbs and in your price range. Peruse things at Austin Canoe & Kayak.

If you're not married to a SOT, the Native Ultimate 12 Basic could work. No frills, 44 lbs. I have a pair of the Native Ultimate Tandems, they are very stable.